Lavrov emphasises SCO role as an instrument to ensure regional security

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Photo ITAR-TASS/ Alexander Astafyev

MOSCOW, September 12 (Itar-Tass) - Presidents of Russia and Iran Vladimir Putin and Hassan Rouhani will discuss cooperation between the two countries in peaceful atom use at a summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization on Friday, Russian presidential aide Yuri Ushakov told reporters on Thursday, preferring, however, to refrain from replying the question whether presidents will discuss Russia’s construction of new power units at the Bushehr nuclear power plant in Iran.

“All issues (bilateral cooperation) will be discussed,” the Kremlin official said. Meanwhile, he explained that it cannot be said for sure which issue the presidents will focus on.

In general, the SCO leaders will touch on this sphere, Ushakov said. “This cooperation is being maintained with all U.N. Security Council’s sanction restrictions against the Iranian nuclear programme observed,” he noted.

Ushakov recalled that the first power unit of the Bushehr nuclear power plant is planned to hand over for operation to Iran on September 24.

Meanwhile, in Astana Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that Russia hopesed leaders of the member-countries of the SCO will decide at the summit in Bishkek to develop a concept to create a universal centre to combat new challenges and threats to security in the SCO states.

“In the previous year Russian President Vladimir Putin proposed to create a universal centre to combat new challenges and threats to security in the SCO states on the basis of this structure. We hope that tomorrow the SCO summiteers in Bishkek will decide to develop a concept to create this centre, which should become an effective instrument of security,” Lavrov said.

He noted the SCO role as an instrument to ensure regional security. “We take the SCO as a prioritized floor for a consolidated regional contribution in Afghan settlement. We call for stronger cooperation between the SCO and CSTO states,” the minister added.